S

CHAPTER X

IRELAND

1797-1799

OON after the beginning of the war between

France and England, in 1796, some of the Irish

began a secret correspondence with the French Government, and urged the invasion of Ireland. The United Irish" Society became a military organisation, and assurances were given to France that whenever an army should land, thousands of Irish Catholics would join them.

A fleet and army assembled at Brest, and the depth of winter was fixed for the attempt, so as to have a better chance of eluding the British Fleet.

On December 10th, 1796, transports carrying about 15,000 soldiers, and escorted by eighteen ships of the line and thirteen frigates, sailed from Brest.

The British Fleet, lying at Spithead, received intelligence of their departure, but not of the direction they had taken. The Admiral steered his course towards Brest, but missed the French Fleet, which had encountered a storm and been scattered. The frigate in which the French Commander-in-Chief had sailed was driven far to the westward, and only a few of the ships reached Bantry Bay. In the absence of the Commander

APPOINTED BRIGADIER-GENERAL

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in-Chief no one knew how to act, so after a short stay the French ships sailed back to Brest without seeing a single English ship of war, either going or returning. The project, though frustrated, was not abandoned, and the Irish, convinced that the French were in earnest in offering their assistance, became more rebellious than before.

In the frequent collisions between rebels and loyalists many atrocities were committed by the Irish on each other; and when reinforcements of troops were sent to Ireland and the military called in to restore peace, rioting and disorder continued with increased vigour, for the soldiers were encouraged in acts of great violence against all who were even suspected of disloyalty.

Such was the dismal state of Ireland when a second hostile expedition was fitted out at the urgent demand of the Irish rebels. This was secretly assembled in Holland, and a fleet of Dutch warships, under Admiral de Winter, sailed from the Texel in October, 1797. Admiral Duncan, in command of the British Fleet, proceeded in search of the enemy, and he overtook and destroyed the Dutch warships at Camperdown on October 11th.

In December, 1797, Sir Ralph Abercromby was made Commander-in-Chief in Ireland, and requested that John Moore might be appointed a Brigadier-General on his staff.

On December 8th Moore wrote in his diary:

"It is now nearly five months since I landed from the West Indies. Had there been any prospect

76

IN COMMAND AT BANDON

of service in Portugal, I should have preferred going there, but as I suppose our troops will immediately be recalled from there, and the West Indies presents no service, there was no alternative but Ireland, or idleness at home, of which I was already tired.”

In January, 1798, Moore was appointed to command the forts of Cork Harbour, Kinsale, and Middleton, under Lieutenant-General Sir James Stuart, who commanded the whole of the southern district.

A few weeks later Moore was given the command at Bandon. He had upwards of 3,000 men, mostly light infantry of the Militia. The officers were Protestant, and the majority of the men Catholics, who disliked their officers and were extremely disloyal. In his diary he describes the officers as "profligate and idle, serving for the emolument, but neither from a sense of duty nor of military distinction."

Sir Ralph Abercromby, after making an extensive tour, observed and received reports of the many abuses that existed, particularly in the regiments of Militia. They had become so widespread as to be completely subversive of all discipline and order. Sir Ralph exposed and reprobated the abuses which had been practised by the Colonels and officers, and in an order of February 26th he wrote: "that the frequency of courts-martial and the many complaints of irregularities in the conduct of the troops in this kingdom having too unfortu

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77

nately proved the army to be in a state of licentiousness which must render it formidable to everyone but the enemy, the Commander-in-Chief thinks it necessary to demand from all Generals commanding districts and brigades, as well as commanding officers of regiments, that they exert themselves and compel from all officers under their command the strictest and most unremitting attention to the discipline, good order and conduct of their men, etc., etc.

This order gave great offence. Complaints of it were sent to the newspapers, and were there commented upon as a libel upon the Army, while the opponents of the British Government quoted it as an acknowledgment that the riots and disaffection were solely due to the misconduct of the soldiers.

A cabal was formed against Sir Ralph Abercromby. His recall was discussed and the whole of his conduct arraigned. Moore wrote to him that if he was made to resign, he, Moore, would not continue to serve. Sir Ralph replied: "They may force me to resign, but I shall not lower myself by a compliance with their propositions."

On April 16th, 1798, Moore wrote in his diary:

"I have written in the most pressing terms to Colonel Brownrigg to be withdrawn from Ireland. The measures likely to be adopted will be most odious, and whoever attempts to execute them with lenity or moderation risks giving displeasure and being ruined. Should an invasion be attempted, there will be no head to direct, and no previous

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OPEN REBELLION

arrangement made; the scene will be disgraceful, and I wish to retire from it. I mentioned this as my intention to Sir Ralph. He begged I would be cautious, both for my own sake and his; he would be sorry that anything we did should bear the appearance of party."

On May 26th no mail arrived from Dublin, and two days later reports reached Moore that Dublin and the country round were in open rebellion. The peasants had armed themselves with fowlingpieces, with muskets sent privately from France, and long pikes. On the night of May 23rd some hundreds of them broke into towns of Kildare. At Naas and Carlow they were repulsed, but in other places soldiers were murdered in their quarters, and barracks set on fire. Small parties of soldiers who had moved against them without a concerted plan were cut off by the rebels, who stole their small arms and some cannon, and with these they ravaged the country, burning and plundering farms and dwelling-houses, sparing neither age nor sex.

The number of rebels increasing, they attempted to take possession of New Ross, but were defeated with the loss of nearly two thousand men. After this they adopted a defensive attitude. They retained possession of Wexford and Enniscorthy, and formed a large camp on Vinegar Hill as their training-ground. The strength of the rebels made General Lake assemble all the troops at his disposition before marching against them, among other detachments that of Brigadier-General Moore.